Chapter 159: The Long-Standing Grudges of the Zhao Clan

On the mountain path.
By the clear stream.

Jiang Min had been immersed in the state of enlightenment for a long time. The gentle breeze that had been swirling around her gradually died down, but whenever falling leaves or fine drizzle drifted into her personal space, they were still completely pulverized by an invisible sword qi.

When the little grass arrived, it happened to see two leaves being shredded into tiny fragments, startling it so much that it abruptly stopped flying and dared not draw closer.

After a long while.
Jiang Min slowly opened her eyes.

She saw a blade of grass with leaves as green as a freshly washed jade, hovering anxiously and swaying back and forth about a yard in front of her.

Her eyes lit up with joy, and she called out, "A-Ling."

The little grass stopped in mid-air immediately, transforming into a streak of emerald light as it lunged toward her, shouting, "A-Min!!"

Being called out of nowhere—and with the voice actually coming from a blade of grass—truly gave Jiang Min a start. But considering that the little grass had consumed the Supreme Spiritual Earth Root bestowed upon her by True Monarch Guanqi, it had most likely successfully birthed a spiritual seed, which made its ability to speak human language quite understandable.

Jiang Min did not stop the little grass from plunging into her arms, nor did she prevent it from using its tender green blades to cling tightly to her, rubbing against her affectionately like a spoiled pet. Looking down, she noticed that after a period of separation, the little grass didn't seem to have changed much on the surface, but every single green blade of grass was faintly translucent, clearly revealing intricate veins shimmering with a subtle spiritual radiance. Gurgling spiritual power flowed within these veins, containing no small amount of power.

"A-Ling, can you speak now?" Jiang Min asked with a smile.

Clinging lingeringly to Jiang Min's embrace, the little grass replied, "Yes, I can. A-Ling can now speak using spiritual power. When True Man Yuquan has free time, he even teaches A-Ling to read scriptures and recognize characters."

Jiang Min raised an eyebrow and asked, "You've been staying at the Zizai Hut all this time?"

"Yeah! True Man Yuquan is wonderful. He teaches A-Ling to read scriptures, allows A-Ling to cultivate in the spiritual fields, and occasionally invites A-Ling to share some spiritual wine. The Peach Blossom Brew that True Man Yuquan crafts is so fragrant!" The little grass earnestly shared details of its recent life.

Hearing this.
Jiang Min wore a beaming smile, though her tone was feignedly threatening, "Oh? You've consumed so much of Senior Brother's provisions, and this debt of favor is massive. What should we do if I can't repay it? Shall I... sell you to Senior Brother to clear the debt? That way, you'll also get to follow Senior Brother and enjoy a life of luxury every single day."

"!!!"

The little grass was so frightened that its leaves straightened out instantly. It hastily burrowed further into Jiang Min's embrace and wailed grievance-fully, "Wuwuwu, don't sell A-Ling! Does A-Min not love A-Ling anymore..."

Jiang Min couldn't help but laugh out loud, comforting it, "I was just teasing you. A-Ling is so adorable, how could I ever bear to sell you?"

As she spoke.
The smile on her face slowly faded. She suddenly raised her gaze, looking ahead along the mountain path with heightened alertness.

Following that.
A petite figure slowly materialized out of thin air, revealing a young girl clad in the solemn black-and-white robes of Mount Taiji, yet bearing a mischievous and eccentric expression. Stepping lightly on the moss-covered mountain path, she walked step by step toward Jiang Min, her eyes narrowed into smiling crescents as she said, "Very alert. Your divine sense cultivation is quite good."

Jiang Min had never met this person before.
However, observing her adolescent girl's appearance and her unusual dark-red eyes, a thought stirred in her heart, allowing her to guess the other's identity. She tentatively asked, "Are you Senior Sister Yushu?"

"Oh my, I originally didn't want to disturb Junior Sister Yuyao and A-Ling while they were catching up, but I didn't expect to be discovered so easily." True Man Yushu did not deny it. She covered her mouth in feigned surprise, her voice soft and light, before her gaze shifted playfully, "It seems my technique for concealing my aura is still not quite polished enough!"

"Senior Sister, please don't joke. You deliberately revealed your aura just so I would notice you, didn't you?"

Jiang Min chuckled.
Then, she cupped her fists and formally paid her respects: "Yuyao greets Senior Sister Yushu."

True Man Yushu smiled and returned the greeting with cupped fists: "Greetings, Junior Sister Yuyao. When you entered the sect, I was still away at the Haoran Academy of the Dahong Dynasty. This is our first time meeting."

As she spoke, her fingertips pinched a crimson-gold bead emanating demonic aura, sending it floating toward Jiang Min on a current of spiritual power. With a beaming smile, she said, "This is a Dragon-Sun Bead nurtured by a Tier 3 Yin-Yang Two-Headed Flood Dragon. You can extract pure solar energy from it. Consider it Senior Sister's welcome gift to help you form your Yang Pill sooner and achieve the Dao of the Golden Core."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Jiang Min accepted the Dragon-Sun Bead with both hands and put it away, saying, "I have also prepared gifts for Senior Sister and Senior Brother. Let's head up the mountain first."

True Man Yushu raised an eyebrow in pleasant surprise, asking, "Oh? I have a gift too? Wonderful! Eldest Senior Brother is already waiting for us. Let's walk and talk as we go."

She raised a hand in an inviting gesture.
Jiang Min likewise made an inviting gesture, gesturing for True Man Yushu to lead the way.

A fine drizzle fell steadily.
The two of them ascended the bluestone mountain path, with the little grass following closely behind. True Man Yushu asked as they walked, "What Junior Sister comprehended just now—was it the remnant text of the *Yin-Yang Sword Classic* passed down within our sect?"

"Indeed," Jiang Min nodded.

During their discussion of the Dao, True Man Yushu's expression turned slightly solemn as she remarked, "Judging by the cosmic phenomenon of your enlightenment, it seems far simpler than just the Dao of Yin-Yang."

Jiang Min thought to herself: *Of course it is.*
After all, the version of the *Yin-Yang Sword Classic* passed down in the sect was missing the final two paragraphs of the first chapter.

Conceal the sharp edge, and the Dao of the Sword is fully revealed.
Yang transforms and Yin unites; motion and stillness form an integrated whole.
The transformation of Yin and Yang must ultimately return to Taiji; only then is it the Dao of Taiji.

Without revealing the existence of the *Taiji Sword Classic*, Jiang Min slowly explained, "Whenever I read those few remnant verses, I always felt something was missing. Everywhere it spoke of Taiji, yet it only elucidated Yin-Yang without explaining Taiji. I figured that what the remnant text ultimately points toward should be the Dao of Taiji, rather than merely the transformations of Yin-Yang."

"Therefore, while walking up the mountain just now, as I observed the rain falling into the stream and witnessed the blending of water's Yin and Yang within it, I seemed to touch upon the underlying intent of Taiji. Connecting that with the *Yin-Yang Sword Classic*, some insights naturally blossomed."

"The intent of Taiji..."

True Man Yushu did not stop walking, but her expression turned contemplative before she continued, "Actually, many seniors in the mountains have had this same thought—that the *Yin-Yang Sword Classic* shouldn't merely teach Yin-Yang, but Taiji. However, because the sword classic is incomplete and only remnant texts remain, they could only attempt to patch it together using their own insights. I have read many commentaries and patches written by various seniors, yet I always felt they fell short of the true essence."

"But the phenomenon manifested by your comprehension just now suggests your understanding must be exceptionally profound."

True Man Yushu put aside her casual demeanor and said with a serious expression, "Junior Sister, despite your youth, you are able to deduce the complete picture from a mere remnant text. Your comprehension is truly extraordinary."

"Come, let's drink some wine and discuss this in detail."

...

Zizai Hut.

Jiang Min presented the gifts she had bought for her senior brother and senior sister respectively, and asked, "Senior Brother, Senior Sister, do you like them?"

True Man Yuquan gently stroked a bizarre stone that was beginning to sprout a wisp of spirituality, praising, "After nurturing this stone for another hundred years, it will give birth to a living spirit. My Zizai Hut, nourished by spiritual energy, is the most suitable place for its cultivation. You put a lot of thought into this, Junior Sister."

"A Yin-Yang Stone? I've neglected my studies in the mountains for quite a while; I can just use this to brush up on them. Thank you, Junior Sister!" True Man Yushu laughed heartily.

True Man Yuquan pushed out his hand, sending this spiritual stone into the spiritual spring beside the spiritual field to nourish it. He then fetched an extra straw cushion, gestured invitingly with an open palm, and said, "The rain falls just at the right time, everyone is here, and the Dao has been comprehended. Why don't you all sit down together, listen to the rain, drink some wine, and discourse upon the Dao?"

Jiang Min sat down with a smile and said, "A-Ling told me that the Peach Blossom Brew Senior Brother crafts is exceptionally fine. My palate has been craving it, so I won't stand on ceremony."

The three of them gathered around the stove to warm wine, listening to the rain while discussing the Dao.

Jiang Min first shared her recent insights, after which True Man Yuquan and True Man Yushu expressed their respective thoughts and exchanged perspectives, providing Jiang Min with immense gains.

Once that topic concluded.
True Man Yushu picked up her previous conversation with True Man Yuquan, recounting her trip to the Haoran Academy.

When speaking of how she had accompanied the scholars and fellow students of Haoran Academy to Dongming Academy of the Southern Faction of the Dahong Dynasty to debate the Dao, True Man Yushu narrowed her eyes, murderous intent fully evident in her tone as she said, "Who would have thought I'd run into those damned members of the Zhao clan of Yanyue at Dongming Academy? If several scholars hadn't stepped in to stop me, I would have hacked that bastard to pieces with a single sword stroke long ago."

The Zhao clan of Yanyue?

Jiang Min's gaze flickered slightly as she recalled the man and woman she had encountered at the Yanling City Stone Appreciation Banquet—they were also members of the Zhao clan of Yanyue.

True Man Yushu sharply noticed Jiang Min's expression and patiently asked, "Does Junior Sister Yuyao have something she wants to ask?"

Jiang Min replied, "When Senior Sister just mentioned the Zhao clan of Yanyue, it reminded me that I ran into two people at the Yanling City Stone Appreciation Banquet who were also wearing the clan robes of the Zhao clan of Yanyue."

Hearing this, True Man Yushu immediately perked up and pressed further, "Oh? The annual Stone Appreciation Banquet in Yanling City... the identities of those permitted to enter are by no means ordinary. Does Junior Sister remember what the two of them looked like and what distinctive features they had?"

"A man and a woman. The woman was quite young, with an untainted and ethereal temperament, at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. The man wore a black robe with a hood and was a ghost cultivator, at the Great Perfection of the Gathering Yin Realm," Jiang Min recounted.

Hearing this.
True Man Yushu and True Man Yuquan exchanged glances, their expressions filled with both surprise and gravity.

True Man Yuquan frowned and asked, "Did you expose your sect affiliation in front of them?"

"No," Jiang Min shook her head and asked in confusion, "Who are these two?"

True Man Yuquan explained, "Junior Sister, what you encountered was most likely the descendants of the contemporary head of the Zhao family. The elder sister is named Zhao Xianchun, and the younger brother is named Zhao Xianliang. These two are fraternal twins born with a paired exquisite concentric soul. Not only is their divine sense incomparably powerful, but their hearts and minds are also completely connected. Rather than viewing them as two distinct individuals, it is more accurate to consider them as a single mind with dual souls."

"Not to mention that the brother and sister—one living, one a ghost—practice the *Xuanji Yin-Yang Revolving Great Dharma*, which is a taboo Daoist technique stolen from Mount Taiji."

True Man Yuquan paused for a moment and sighed, "Our Mount Taiji and the Zhao clan of Yanyue have always harbored a deep-seated grievance."